Leon Guyot's Journal

2nd March 1988: 150,146, 43,702, 7,223.

Tonight I noted the following:
60 mph in direct top gear (4th) at 3,800 rpm.
60 mph in overdrive top (6th) at 3,000 rpm.
80 mph in overdrive top (6th) at 3,800 rpm.
100 mph in overdrive top (6th)at 5,000 rpm.

3rd March 1988: 150,154, 43,710, 7,232.

4th March 1988: My 29th birthday!

5th March 1988: Petrol tank sender unit broke again after just 5 weeks this time, 150,223, 43,779, 7,301.
KGF left outside 3 Kenilworth (neigbour's house)tonight due to Bob's trailer and my Vitesse bulkhead occupying lockup garage, just for tonight, then bulkhead will remain in lockup, although I can still get KGF in at the same time as the bulkhead.

6th March 1988: 150,294, 43,850, 7,372: That's 7,372 careful miles on engine! Brought 1970 Vitesse Mk.2 Saloon chassis, no.4, home from Bill Swan's Twickenham lock-up garage, using SRK 617F (Herald 1200 Estate) and Bob's trailer to my newly rented lock-up garage in Wimbledon.

8th March 1988: I have had KGF 7 years today, 150,302, 43,858, 7,380.
I have covered 66,805 miles in 7 years or 9,544 miles/year or 795 miles/month.

10th March 1988: 150,319, 43,875, 7,397.

12th March 1988: Bought Spax adjustable front shock absorbers/dampers from Colin Harrison from his sadly rolled black GT6-3 to replace
leaky/squeaky LH front on KGF, because I hit traffic island with RH front wheel in South Tottenham, the traffic island was unmarked, and dangerous! And yes, it was my fault! As I misjudged the gap.
I put spare wheel/tyre onto car, tyre pressures wrong again now.
I also fitted reversing light siren this evening, More work carried out on Vitesse chassis this evening,
Bought Vitesse brake balance valve from Ripspeed in North London today.

13th March 1988: Bought 2nd hand 8 spoke chromed wheel from Colin Harrison from his black GT6-3, c/w rather worn Firestone S660,£18, oh well, cheaper than a new one! -must buy a new Goodyear tyre soon.
No sign of any damage to wishbone/steering etc,car still self-centring OK, and stopping in a straight line, but asap, check wishbone brackets, replace if bent and have re-tracked.
150,413, 43,969, 7,491.

15th March 1988: 150,419, 43,975, 7,497 Filled up with petrol, 122 miles/ 7.14 gallons is 17.09 mpg (all stop-start heavy traffic in town driving), leaded petrol went up in price by 5.5 pence/gallon at 6pm tonight, that is 9,544 mpy at 22 mpg (17+27/2=22)
434 gallons/year at 5.5p or an extra £24/year in fuel tax!

16th March 1988: 150,478, 44,034, 7,556
idle too slow, engine stalling at idle so speed up idle!

17th March 1988: idle adjusted very slightly.
150,488, 44,044, 7,566.

18th March 1988: Went to collect Karen Waters (TSSC member) 8pm in rain, KGF wouldn't restart,(just like Christine in film), got jump start from Karen's Herald 1200 Cv, drove off and smelt electrical burning, stopped and looked and smelt under dashboard - nothing, drove home and collected spare alternator from loft, went to M4 motorway in rain, No overdrive! Drove to Chippenham in direct top gear, 70-80 mph at 5,000 rpm all the way, consequently ran out of petrol in Melksham, Wiltshire.
No petrol stations open in Wiltshire after 9.30pm! Called out George Walker from Trowbridge who brought 1/2 gallon, drove to his house, fixed overdrive by replacing burnt out cable, filed down sharp edge on gear lever extension retaining clip, re-routed cable and fixed front seat runners on LH side front seat, went to bed 2am, no more trouble
this weekend!

19th March 1988: 150,617, 44,173, 7,693, Filled up with petrol at Trowbridge, 38.01 litres/8.36 gallons plus 1/2 gallon, or approx 9 gallons, 198 miles/9 gallons or 22 mpg, then Bristol Classic Car show with Karen.

20th March 1988: 150,779, 44,335, 7,855 Hayes, Middlesex
30.82 litres, (6.78 gallons), 162 miles/6.78 = 23.9 mpg
Got home: 150,799, 44,355, 7,875, 1am, went to work to do overtime at 7am!, 150,814, 44,370, 7,890.

22nd March 1988: TSSC West Middlesex Area Meeting, Hayes Village. Gave Lydia North, (Bobs friend), a lift home to Chiswick.
11.25pm, Hayes Village > 11.35pm Chiswick > 11.50pm Wimbledon Lockup > 12.00 in bed.

23rd March 1988: Been in TSSC 7 years today.

24th March 1988: 150,885, 44,441, 7,961.

25th March 1988: 150,886, 44,442, 7,962, Filled up with petrol at Earlsfield, 25.35 litres/5.58 g, 107 miles/5.58 = 19.2 mpg

26th March 1988: 150,915, 44,471, 7,992.
Left-hand front and rear shock absorbers not functioning properly and right-hand front wheel bearing out of adjustment
Changed left-hand front shock absorber and top-plate, checked wheel bearing, found it OK, Adjusted right-hand front wheel bearing, checked vertical link and stub axle for damage - OK
Removed rear left-hand half-shaft, but could not get trunnion bolt out in time, so did it up again - temporarily

29th March 1988: 151,028, 44,584, 8,105, New Cross to Wimbledon in 35 minutes.

31st March 1988: Collected car transporter from Hampton and towed car transporter behind Herald, with complete Vitesse chassis and body-shell on it as far as East Sheen, when clutch friction plate broke up on top of hump-backed bridge at Clifford Avenue.
n.b. This clutch was my last plate, it had done only 3,017 miles.
Rescued by Bill Swan in his Dad's Lancia Beta, KGF was put into Twickenham lock-up garage, then we took Vitesse to Scotland using Bill's Mazda B1800 pick-up truck, left Twickenham 8pm, after AA changed coil in truck for which I paid £11+ then we finally left for Kirkcaldy, Fife, N.E. of Edinburgh, Scotland, (it stayed there until 28th May 1988)